Iraqi Forces, Shi’ite Militias Come Under Attack in Central Kirkuk

KIRKUK — A group of unidentified armed men attacked on Sunday a convoy of the Iraqi counter-terror forces and Iranian-backed militias in the centre of Kirkuk, a Kurdish official confirmed the report.

The attackers are believed to be local Kurds who oppose the presence of Baghdad troops in their area after the Kurdish Peshmerga forces were pushed back in mid-October, according to Peshmerga commander Kamal Karkuki.

The assault reportedly took place in Farmanbaran neighbourhood, which is now being cordoned off by the Iraqi forces.

Karkuki told BasNews that the attackers were ambushed while leaving the scene, but they reportedly escaped the ambush.

Media outlets linked to the Hashd al-Shaabi reported earlier that a group of attackers were arrested in Kirkuk. The Kurdish commander however rejected the reports and said that such baseless claims intend to boost the morale of the Shi’ite militias only.